Temperatures soar to record-breaking heights in Kelowna, Vernon

Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa West said Monday morning that temperature records across the Okanagan are set to be toppled due to a strong ridge of high pressure that’s sitting over western North America.

“In B.C. the daytime temperatures are 10 to 12 C above normal,” said West, adding that the weather system will be most noticeable in the Okanagan today and tomorrow.

In Kelowna, West said, temperature highs are supposed to reach a record-breaking 31 C Monday and 32 C Tuesday. Previously, the temperature record for Monday, May 14, was 30 C and that was set in 1973. May 15 1973 the record was set at 30.6 C.

To the north, Vernon is also posed to knock down records. On May. 14 1924 the mercury reached 30 C . That record will likely be broken when temperatures reach 31 C at the height of the day. Tomorrow, May 15 the forecast is for 32 C. The previous record for that day was 30 C and it was set in 1939.

To the south, where days are almost always a bit warmer, temperatures are expected to get close to record breaking, although it’s unclear as of yet whether it will happen.

The current record for both May 14 and 15 in Penticton is 32.8 C . Today’s was set in 1939, and the temperature is expected to reach 31 C. Tuesday, May 15, will be closer to record breaking with a forecast high of 32 C .

These kinds of weather patterns that cover the entirety of western North America do happen from time to time, said West, and inevitably they change.

“That ridge will move off to the east on Wednesday and we will see a cooling of the temperatures, with highs in the mid-20 C range,” said West. “The entire Okanagan is then at risk of showers starting really at around Wednesday and on to Friday.”